Joker’ is a game changer for comic book movies. It feels more like a dark psychological thriller. Make no mistake about it. It is an origin film. It simply goes places (including The Dark Knight) that have never gone before. It is divisive. It is the most provocative film of the year. It won the prestigious Golden Lion Award at the Venice Film Festival. It is bound to garner recognition from the Academy too. Director Todd Phillips known for ‘The Hangover’ comedies has created a disturbing backstory that actually rings true to the graphic novel. With that said, this film is not for everybody. It is reminiscent of classics like ‘Taxi Driver’ and ‘A Clockwork Orange.’ With that said, it is a haunting character study of a man who goes insane. It is a masterpiece!
If you’re going into the theater expecting a Joker that cracks one-liners and is involved in flashy fist-fights and over-the-top bank heists, you might be sadly disappointed. It attempts to show us the forces that contributed to Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) psychosis. Phillips’ influences were gritty ‘70s films. Gotham City has a grungy feel to it. If anyone remembers New York City in the ‘70s, it was filled with crime and “super rats” in the back alleys. The opening scene is Arthur (Phoenix) dressed as a clown who becomes a victim of a random act of violence. He’s a broken man trying to care for his ailing mother, Penny Fleck (Frances Conroy) in a dilapidated tenement. He is constantly harassed at work and in public. One day, he receives a gun from a co-worker which gives him a feeling of empowerment.
Arthur’s descent into madness is painful to watch. He has an uncontrollable laugh that is the result of a mental disorder. It is not easy to sympathize with him until he encounters three Wall Street businessman on a subway train. When he retaliates, you cannot help but empathize with him. Does anybody deserve to be killed? No, but Arthur has reached his breaking point. Phoenix’s performance is outstanding. The transformation from meek Arthur to sociopathic Joker is terrifying. The way he walks as Joker is with confidence. There is a telling scene where he dances on the steps to Gary Glitter’s “Rock n’ Roll Part 2.” The transformation is complete. He is feeling ecstasy at being a murderer. People are noticing him. Later he makes a guest appearance on a Johnny Carson type talk show hosted by Robert De Niro. Phillips pays homage to Scorsese’s, ‘The King of Comedy.’
This is the problem that some are having with the movie. They do not want to sympathize with a psychopathic killer and rightfully so. You don’t have to side with him, you just have to understand why he came to this point. Phillips creates the tone perfectly with the run down, rat-infested, garbage everywhere New York of the 1970s. Crime was rampant before law enforcement and gentrification dramatically reduced it. One of the contributors to Arthur’s decline is when his social service programs are cut. He no longer has a counselor to regularly talk to and his medications run out. It’s a complicated issue that is a current problem in today’s world. Mentally ill people have nowhere to turn to for assistance. If you don’t believe it, just take a trip to San Francisco to see the widespread homeless situation. It’s an epidemic.
Phillips’ haunting vision is aided with a moody score by Hildur Guonadottir and vibrant cinematography by Lawrence Sher. The music enhances the disturbing emotions of Arthur. The supporting cast is top-notch including Frances Conroy as his mother and Zazie Beetz as the object of his desire. The director manages to connect the Wayne family into the story. We get a glimpse of the young Bruce Wayne. It is a believable backstory. Phoenix gives the Joker realistic depth. The violence is not gratuitous but it is graphic. This is not a fun movie to watch. It is a work of art. Film is an art form. If you go into ‘Joker’ with that mindset, you will understand why it is an unforgettable movie.
